Abstract: This disclosure relates to an indicia applying machine comprising a wheel rotatably mounted on a frame, the wheel having a plurality of angularly spaced pockets which receive and hold cigarette cartons. Mounted on the frame around the wheel are a plurality of operating stations including a loading station for moving cartons into the pockets, an opening station for opening the flaps along one side of the cartons, one or more transfer stations for applying stamps, labels, tags, etc. to packages in the cartons, a closing station for applying an adhesive to the flaps of the cartons and reclosing the flaps, a holding or sealing station for holding the flaps closed while the adhesive sets, and an ejection station for removing the cartons from the pockets.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a method and machine for applying a decal to a generally cylindrical article, particularly an article having a handle on one side thereof. A series of decals are attached to an elongated web and are spaced a generally constant distance apart in the direction of the length of the web. The machine includes supply and takeup spindles for rotatably supporting reels for the web, and a web drive for moving the web from the supply reel to the take-up reel. A mandrel rotatably supports the article and a movable head presses the web and the decal against an article on the mandrel. The web passes from the supply reel, between the mandrel and the head, and to the take-up reel. The machine further includes a brake which, when engaged, holds the web against movement, and a decal sensor assembly. After the machine is actuated to cause the movable head to press the decal against an article, the brake is actuated to release the web, and the web is then pulled across the article.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a machine for transferring indicia, preferably decals, from a rolled carrier strip or web to a series of articles. The articles may have straight cylindrical sides like that of root beer mugs, they may have positive tapered sides such as tapered water glasses, or they may have negative tapered sides such as the upper part of stemmed wine glasses. A series of the decals are attached to the elongated web and are spaced a generally constant distance apart in the direction of the length of the web. The configuration of the decals corresponds to a flat layout of the outer surface of the articles being decorated. For a straight mug the decal is generally rectangular; for a glass having a positive taper the decal is curved in one direction; and for a glass having a negative taper the decal is curved in the other direction. The machine includes a mandrel that rotatably supports an article and a pressure mechanism for pressing the web and the decal against the article on the mandrel.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a method and machine for applying a decal to a generally cylindrical article, particularly an article having a handle on one side thereof. A series of decals are attached to an elongated web and are spaced a generally constant distance apart in the direction of the length of the web. The machine includes supply and takeup spindles for rotatably supporting reels for the web, and a web drive for moving the web from the supply reel to the take-up reel. A mandrel rotatably supports the article and a movable head presses the web and the decal against an article on the mandrel. The web passes from the supply reel, between the mandrel and the head, and to the take-up reel. The machine further includes a brake which, when engaged, holds the web against movement, and a decal sensor assembly. After the machine is actuated to cause the movable head to press the decal against an article, the brake is actuated to release the web, and the web is then pulled across the article.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a machine for applying indicia, preferably decalcomanias (decals), to felts that form part of tennis balls. A stack of the felts is placed in the machine, and a destacking mechanism separates each felt from the stack and places them on a conveyor which moves the felts to a decal applicating machine. After a decal is applied to each felt, the conveyor moves the felts to a restacking mechanism which lifts the felts off the conveyor and restacks them. The machine is preferably equipped to handle the felts in pairs in order to double the speed of operation.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a machine and method of applying cigarette tax stamps to cigarette packages in cartons. The machine includes an input platform or table that receives cartons from an infeed conveyor, and three incoming cartons are fed to three parallel channels. In each of the channels, the flaps of a carton are opened and folded upwardly and outwardly, thereby exposing the ends of the packages. Tax stamps are applied to the ends of the packages, glue is then applied to the outturned flaps, and the flaps are folded in again and resealed. The three channels are spaced laterally apart of the direction of movement of the cartons as they move through the channels. The cartons are pushed onto the input platform with their long dimension extending parallel to the channels. The carton movement is stopped by an end stop that is located to position the first, third and fifth cartons generally in line with the input ends of the three channels.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to apparatus for controlling the positions of indicia on a moving web relative to the positions of a series of moving articles. The web has a series of spaced indicia on it, and the position of each indicium is matched or registered with the position of an article. First means is provided for sensing each indicium and generating a first signal indicative of the indicia, and second means is provided for sensing the articles and providing a second signal representative of each article. Third means is provided for generating a series of pulses in response to operation of a drive for the web. Counter means counts any pulses between occurrences of the first and second signals, such a count indicating a separation or disparity between positions of an indicium and an associated article. Speed control means operates in response to any such count to adjust the relative speeds of the articles and the web to obtain proper registration.

Abstract: This disclosure deals with a machine for transferring indicia (such as decalcomanias) from an elongated web or carrier strip to tapered articles, such as tumblers, at a high rate of speed. The articles are moved along a transport path and means is provided to turn the articles as the articles are moved through an indicia transferring portion of the path. The web and the articles are moved in the same direction and in a generally straight line, and the articles are rolled across the web and the indicium, thereby peeling the indicium from the web. Means is provided to tilt the axes of the tapered tumblers relative to the plane of the web in order to place the side of the tumbler, which engages the web, parallel to the web. Hold down means is provided to force the tumblers to move in a straight line while rolling. Decals formed with an initial compensating distortion are used in the machine, to compensate for the distortion of the decals that occurs as the decals are transferred to the tumblers.

Abstract: A heat release type decalcomania for marking a tennis ball cover comprising a carrier sheet having on one surface thereof a clear film of thermosetting elastomer formed of a siliconized polyester composition and a blocked isocyanate composition which crosslink when heated at a temperature effecting release of the clear film from the carrier sheet and having on the clear film a composite design formed of a first color layer of a polyamide resin having a softening point of about 100.degree. F. (38.degree. C.) and a second color layer of a polyamide resin having a softening point of about 230.degree. F. (110.degree. C.) with both said layers having a low viscosity adapted to penetrate the tennis ball cover when the design is heated to a temperature at which said clear film is released from said carrier strip.

Abstract: This disclosure deals with a machine for printing indicia on a moving web. The web may consist of a long relatively narrow carrier strip having rows of tax stamps or decals formed thereon, and the machine prints indicia in the form of code symbols on each stamp. The stamps are arranged on the carrier strip in rows which extend longitudinally or in the direction of the length of the strip, and the strip is moved longitudinally through the machine during the printing operation. In the described example of the invention, a plurality of such rows are provided, the rows being laterally spaced across the width of the web, and the laterally adjacent stamps are arranged in laterally extending straight lines. The machine prints a group of symbols on each stamp, and the symbols are the same for every stamp on a given length of the web.